Sunday, September 5, 2010

A Classroom "Field Trip" to the Kingdom Hall...

When it comes to "looking for ways" to expand our ministry, and "creating opportunities" for potential Bible studies, I've been hearing alot of great experiences lately in that regard,...about brothers & sisters who've been exploring alternative avenues of "informal witnessing" (which they previously hadn't tried before). Many are having alot of success in reaching people who they normally don't find in the house-to-house ministry,...which has led to more requests for Bible studies.I'm gonna compile a bunch of those experiences to show some of the unique and creative methods that other Witnesses have been utilizing to expand their ministry...but in the meantime, you've gotta read this cute experience I was emailed...

"A local school approached the congregation coordinator to ask if 2 classes (60+ children) could visit the Kingdom Hall one afternoon as part of their school project on different religions.

The congregation checked with Bethel who said it was absolutely okay...

On Wednesday 7th July the two school classes came along in the afternoon in two sittings to visit our Kingdom Hall in Midsomer Norton for their tour. They filed into the hall and sat in rows. I addressed them with a 10 minute talk followed by a Q&A session. After the short talk the children watched attentively part of the DVD: ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses Organized to Share the Good News’.

They asked so many questions, it was so refreshing for us to see their inquisitiveness; words cannot express what a delight it was. Their questions showed real interest. They asked such things as:

Do you enjoy your job?Do you wear special clothes for your role?Number of Elders / Ministerial Servants?Where is your Headquarters?What languages is the literature available in?Do you take communion?What is the difference between you and other religions?Who pays for the printing of the literature you distribute?How long have you had this building?What plans do you have for the KH?What countries does the Britain Branch print for?Do you have weddings and funerals here?Do you have a grave yard?Do you have a special title?How long have you been a minister?When were you baptized?How many in your congregation?How many come to attend each time?Do young people give talks in the congregation?How many different Bibles do you have here?What is the oldest Bible you have here?How many do you have in your home?Why do you not have any Statues (Idols)?What is that? (Pointing to the Year Text)

Some questions were ‘prepared’ but they prompted further impromptu questions. The children were very keen to ask so many things, putting their hands up high and waiting for their turn. Of course all the questions were satisfactorily answered while the teachers took written notes about the visit – what was said and done.

Each child was presented with their own brochure to take home (either the ‘You Can Be Gods Friend’ (7-8yrs) or ‘Jehovah Witnesses - What Do They Believe?’ (9-10yrs). Each was also given coloured pens and a photocopy of the picture on page 11 of the Great Teacher book with the caption and Mark 10:13-14 for them to take away and colour.

All of the Teachers and Teaching Assistants were offered ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses and Education’ which they readily accepted.

The children conducted themselves sensibly, they appeared fascinated by the new environment, and they showed real interest in what they heard and saw. In fact a second round of questions came from the older class after watching the DVD mainly about the size and activity of the worldwide organization, many did not realize the scope of the preaching and the amount of quality literature and Bibles we produce and distribute!

My wife and I had prepared a table at the back of the hall with Kingdom Tracts and the ‘When Someone You Love Dies’, ‘Government’ & ‘Blood’ brochures and some took those as well as they left.

In all, 122 brochures were placed and 30+ tracts...The Head Mistress came with the older class (9-10yrs) and she appeared very impressed when she learnt of the scale of our organization, the tremendous literature production and distribution work through our presentation.

Since that day we heard that one little girl went home with her brochure along with the ‘When Someone You Love Dies’ brochure which she had personally chosen. She asked her parents to ‘take her back to the Kingdom Hall regularly like they used to’ (they used to have a family Bible Study but stopped it for various reasons). She told them that she ‘was happy at the Kingdom Hall and that was where her friends were!’

One of the teachers since asked about the Year Text, whether the ‘same text is on display in all Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world?’One of the attending children is the son of a sister in our congregation and he was able to answer that question during the school day. His mother also attended as a school assistant on the day of the visit..."